Bolsonaro Supporters Rally in Rio as Coup Charges Loom

Thousands gathered on Copacabana Beach to back the former president, who faces possible trial and decades in prison over alleged coup plotting.

Approximately 18,000 Bolsonaro supporters attended the rally, far fewer than the one million hoped for by organizers.
The demonstration called for amnesty for those convicted over the January 8, 2023 riots, where Bolsonaro's backers stormed government buildings in Brasilia.
Bolsonaro, accused of plotting to overthrow President Lula, denies wrongdoing and claims to be a victim of political persecution.
Brazil's Supreme Court will decide on March 25 whether Bolsonaro and his allies will face trial, which could result in prison sentences exceeding 40 years.
Bolsonaro, barred from public office until 2030, hopes to overturn his ban and emulate Donald Trump's political comeback in the 2026 elections.